Ernest Ward Beats T.R. Miller (With Photo Gallery)
October 23, 2013
The Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles wrapped up their season Tuesday night with a big win over T.R. Miller. The EWMS Eagles beat the Tigers 44-24.
For a photo gallery, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
West Florida, Northview Place In District 1-2A Cross Country Meet
October 23, 2013
The District 1-2A Cross Country Meet was held Tuesday afternoon at Panama City. Team results were as follows:
District 1-2A Boys Meet
Team scores: 1. West Florida High 27, 2. Catholic 33, 3. South Walton 97, 4. Rutherford 122, 5. Arnold 128, 6. Bay 166, 7. Northview 187, 8. Walton 202.
District 1-2A Girls Meet
Team scores: 1. West Florida 28; 2. Catholic 51; 3. Rutherford 90; 4. Arnold 112; 5. South Walton 115; 6. Northview 176; 7. Walton 178; 8. Bay 183.
The top four teams and the top 15 individuals advance to regionals.
Scott To Try To Boost Business With Japan
October 23, 2013
Gov. Rick Scott met this week with a consul general of Japan, as the governor tunes up for a trip to Japan that is part of an effort to increase trade with Asian countries.
Without elaborating on details of the visit Monday in the Capitol, Scott spokeswoman Jackie Schutz said the governor and Shinji Nagashima, consul general for the Consulate-General of Japan in Miami, discussed the upcoming trip.
A spokeswoman for the Consulate-General simply described the meeting as a “courtesy visit,” as Nagashima was appointed to the Miami post in September.
Scott and a delegation from Enterprise Florida, a public-private partnership that serves as the state’s business-development arm, are expected to travel with a small group of business leaders to Toyko and Osaka from Nov. 2 to Nov. 9. The trip will be the first for a sitting Florida governor to Japan since former Gov. Lawton Chiles went to Japan and South Korea in 1997.
Enterprise Florida spokesman Sean Helton said the tour is part of an expanding strategy to grow markets that haven’t historically been as active trading partners for the state as some markets in Latin American and the Caribbean.
“With the expansion of the Panama Canal and increased access to the state, Florida’s foreign direct investment from those Asian markets stands to increase significantly,” Helton said in email.
While historically not as active as Brazil or Colombia, Japan is eighth among nations as a merchandise trading partner with Florida, according to Enterprise Florida figures.
Cars and other passenger vehicles are easily the state’s top imports from Japan, while fertilizer, civilian aircraft and aircraft parts, and citrus are among the primary items shipped from the Sunshine State to Japan.
The state estimates there are at least 119 Japanese companies that have operations in Florida, accounting for 20,400 jobs.
An estimated 278,000 Japanese tourists visited Florida last year, according to VisitFlorida.com.
The trip will be Scott’s 10th trade-related trip to a foreign nation.
Scott has taken more foreign trips than his predecessor Charlie Crist, then a Republican, did during four years in the governor’s office. Former Gov. Jeb Bush, who served eight years, went on 16 business-related missions to other countries.
Helton said the Japan trip won’t feature massive trade-show components that have been featured in trade missions headed by Scott to Paris, England, Brazil and Colombia.
“The Japan mission will allow the governor, (Secretary of Commerce) Gray (Swoope) and others to talk with Japanese business leaders, share Florida’s business story and promote the state as a foreign direct investment partner,” Helton said in an email Monday.
A final agenda has yet to be set for the trip, and a list of delegates has not been released.
The November trip is one of two upcoming trade-related outings linked to Japan that will include Scott.
Scott is expected to lead a delegation of business leaders to a joint meeting of the Southeast U.S./Japan Association and the Tokyo-based Japan-U.S. Southeast Association, in Biloxi, Miss., from Nov. 17 to Nov. 19.
by Jim Turner, The News Service of Florida
Alleged Trigger Man Arrested In Shooting Death Of 14 Year Old
October 22, 2013
The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force arrested a Pensacola man this morning who is the alleged trigger man in the in the September 19 drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of a 14 year-old girl.
Zachary Antonio Brooks was arrested at 9 a.m. by the at a home on the 800 Block of Lavon Drive just off of Gulf Beach Highway.
According to police reports, the shooting was retaliation of a dispute earlier in the evening on the same night at Maxwell and H Streets. The argument was supposedly started between two children then escalated when adults became involved. According to reports, Brooks aimed a gun out of a car and fired it toward Maxwell Street Apartments, where the body of Kenteyonnya Anderson was found when sheriff’s deputies arrived on scene.
Brooks, 22, was arrested without incident and brought to the Escambia County Jail and booked without a bond. Brooks is being charged with homicide, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
The U.S. Marshals were assisted by Escambia County Sheriff’s Office Patrol and K-9 units as well as Task Force members from Escambia, Santa Rosa and Walton County Sheriff’s Offices and FDLE.
Two Arrested For One Pot Meth Lab
October 22, 2013
Two Escambia County resident were arrested for a “one pot” meth lab in a vehicle outside a Nine Mile Road business.
Shortly after 6 p.m. Monday deputies responded to the 1000 block of East Nine Mile Road in reference to a narcotics violation. A one pot meth lab was located in a vehicle in the parking lot of a business.
The vehicle’s driver, Troy Michael Clark, 26 and Sheena Beth Stinnett, 28, were arrested and charged with production of methamphetamine, possession of a listed chemical, trafficking methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Both remained in the Escambia County Jail Tuesday afternoon with bond set at $121,000 each.
Residents Report Sound Of Explosion In Molino
October 22, 2013
Multiple residents reported the sound of an explosion in the Molino area just after 8:00 this morning.
Escambia County’s 911 dispatch only received one phone call from a resident in the 5000 block of Schaag Road reporting the sound, but additional residents on Highway 95A told firefighters that they heard the sound.
Emergency personnel were able to determine the explosive sound probably originated in a wooded area between Schaag Road and Highway 95A, nearly a mile north of Barrineau Park Road.
Firefighters were unable to locate any damage to structures in the area, and they were unable to pinpoint the exact cause or location of the explosive sound.
The Molino and McDavid stations of Escambia Fire Rescue took part in the investigation.
Century Postpones Barnyard Animal Ordinance To Consider Options
October 22, 2013
The Century Town Council has put a proposed new barnyard animal control ordinance out to pasture while new options are explored.
Monday night, the council considered an ordinance that would make it illegal to keep any horse, mule, donkey, goat, sheep or cattle within the town limits, except on property zoned as agricultural. There are only three parcels of land in the town currently zoned agricultural.
“It is a bother and there is a problem with neglect and abuse,” Century resident and horse owner Maggie Waters told the council. “We need to enforce the laws in place…why should we suffer because there are others that can’t follow the existing law?”
Mayor Freddie McCall said those that already have barnyard animals could be grandfathered under a new ordinance, or could be required to apply for variance. Variances could be issued on an case by case basis, town consultant Debbie Nickles added.
Resident Helen Mincy questioned if there would be any specific lot sizes that might be grandfathered or rezoned agricultural under a barnyard animal ordinance. “I don’t want cattle next to me,” she said. “I don’t want to smell manure.”
“A lot of the threat is based upon if you are that neighbor and you are having to deal with it,” Nickles said.
Council President Ann Brooks said any barnyard animal ordinance should include provisions for minimum acreage and fencing.
Nickles will research options and return with a new ordinance at the council’s next meeting on November 4.
McCall said the need for an ordinance was raised after an individual purchased five acres zoned residential on Hudson Hill Road with the intent to bring in goats and chickens on the property. “We don’t have an ordinance to take care of that.”
Pictured: The Century Town Council meets Monday night. NorthEscambia.com photo, click toe enlarge.
Slight Rain Chance Today, Turning Colder
October 22, 2013
Here is your official North Escambia area forecast:
- Today: A 20 percent chance of showers before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 76. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West wind around 5 mph.
- Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 74. North wind 5 to 15 mph.
- Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 43. North wind around 5 mph.
- Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 76. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Thursday Night: Clear, with a low around 46. West wind 5 to 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
- Friday: Sunny, with a high near 69. North wind 10 to 15 mph.
- Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 37. North wind around 5 mph.
- Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 67. North wind 5 to 10 mph.
- Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 40.
- Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 73.
- Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47.
- Monday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
State Line Lotto Burglar Charged In Florida
October 22, 2013
Charges in Florida have been filed against a Century man who was arrested earlier this month in Alabama moments after a burglary was reported at the closed State Line O’ Yes Lotto on Highway 97 in Davisville.
At about 12:11 p.m. on October 10, the Escambia County (Fla.) Sheriff’s Office received a report of a burglary in progress at the pink building, which has been closed since owner Thomas “Tommy” Kroll was shot and killed during a robbery on November 6, 2012.
As Florida deputies arrived, the suspect, later identified as 53-year old Joseph Steve Davis, was attempting to flee the scene in his vehicle. Davis turned north on Highway 97, crossing into Atmore, Ala.
The Atmore Police Department conducted a traffic stop on Davis about six minutes later. He was taken into custody in Atmore on alcohol related charges. Davis reportedly took beer from the closed business. He was booked into the Escambia County (Ala.) Detention Center in Brewton.
Now, Davis has been charged in Florida with felony unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure, second degree petit theft and criminal mischief. He was released from the Escambia County (FL) Jail with bond set at $15,000.
Jim Allen Elementary Holds Annual Fall Carnival
October 22, 2013
Jim Allen Elementary School recently held their annual Fall Carnival. The event included games, food, pony rides, bounce house and a hayride. There was also a dunking booth that claimed Princial Rachel Watts (pictured top). Pictured below: Scenes from the annual Fall Carnival at Jim Allen Elementary School. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
